“There are many benefits of winning the hearts and minds of Tasmanians. But they only flow if you show a commitment and embrace the whole of the state,” Prof West said.

Prof West, the architect of the forests peace deal, said the club would have to have a dual base – still playing games in Melbourne but committing to spreading between six and eight home matches between Hobart and Launceston.

“There are 25,000 AFL members (across all clubs) here already,” Prof West said.

“There are 70,000 Tasmanians involved in football regularly and that football community is the sleeping giant that could awaken.”

He said any team that committed would have to give a symbolic display of its faith, either by a change of name, colours or logo, and have access to local players such as the current expansion teams do now in NSW and Queensland.

“If your team was half Tasmanian, you would be 80 per cent of the way there (of having the state’s support),” he said.

His research found a club could:

PICK up an additional two to three wins a season given the distinct home ground advantage Tasmania would offer.

GAIN 20,000-50,000 new members in Tasmania and acquire State Government subsidies spent on the Hawks and Roos.

RAISE an extra $2 million to $3 million from major Tasmanian companies keen to get involved in AFL sponsorship but not wanting to be seen supporting a “northern” team or a “southern” team.

Mr West said his research found while Hawthorn had been successful in penetrating the Launceston market, it had not had the same reach into the North-West Coast or in southern Tasmania.

But he said given the Hawks commitment to the state, they deserve first opportunity to be “Tasmania’s” team, while clubs such as North Melbourne, Richmond and St Kilda also had cultural links with the state.